More Than This
by OoLostGirloO
Summary: Protecting Arthur has it's pitfalls, one of which Merlin is currently subjected to. But this time he'll have to rely on Arthur to get himself out of this situation. Many secrets will surface, both of Merlin's, and Arthur's in this time of trials.
1. Chapter 1  Merlin

**Chapter 1**

**Merlin**

Arthur stood before his father, back stiff, face blank and hands respectfully clasped behind his back. Of course to anyone who happened to look behind his back would quickly notice the un-princely fidgeting he was currently doing.

"Arthur, have you thought this through? This is a very grave responsibility you are asking to take on," Uther asked from across the room as he sat in his grand wooden chair, he put aside the documents in his hands and turned his attentions to his son.

"Father, if I am expected to govern over all of Camelot, I must first prove that I am able to do just that. What better way to do so then what I am suggesting?" Arthur replied calmly, betraying none of his anxiety.

"Hmm," Uther hummed frowning in thought. "It _would_ send a positive message to the people," Uther conceded. "But I want you to be sure Arthur, this isn't something you can just wake up one morning and decided it's all too hard to handle. This is a life choice."

"I know father, and I would never do that, I have thought about this, long and hard, and I am ready to make this commitment." Arthur replied, _not to mention I really don't have any other options_, he confided in himself.

"Very well then," Uther said smiling slightly at his son before rising and moving to the large table between the two of them. "I will make the preparations immediately, I'm sure we can find someone willing to-"

"Not necessary father, I have already been approached," Arthur interrupted. Uther shot his son a warning look to make it clear he was not to interrupt him again.

"That was very, _eager_ of them," Uther commented disapprovingly. Arthur clenched his jaw, he was treading on very thin ice and if he was to get what he wanted from his father, he would have to watch his tongue. "But if this is your wish, and you are willing to take on this responsibility, you have my blessings," Uther said inclining his head a fraction.

"Thank you father," Arthur said respectively as he bowed, struggling to keep the grin from his face. Arthur turned as the smile of relief wormed its way on his face but paused at the door as his father called out to him.

"Whoever it is you chose, be sure to bring them to the feast so I can meet them, that will give them two days to settle in to life at court," Uther said nonchalant. Fear shot through Arthur's veins. "That should give them long enough."

"Of course sir," Arthur said without turning around, less his face betray his dread. With that Arthur fled the room, his pace only slightly fiercer than a casual stride. He refused to think of the unavoidable confrontation awaiting him in two days-time, it was inevitable, and would be the end of the charade, but that meant he had two days in which to find a way to fix his current predicament.

As Arthur reached his chambers a strained looking Gaius emerged. He looked up as Arthur neared and sighed, his shoulders sagging as he brushed a hand over his weary face and let the door fall shut behind him.

"Sire," Gaius said with a bow.

"My father gave me his blessings for my request," Arthur informed him, the fear of the festival still out-weighing his joy.

"Arthur, are you sure about this?" Gaius asked worried. "I mean, you have servants to look after you, how are you supposed to look after another?" Arthur ignored the stab at his inability to look after himself, it wasn't as if Merlin did all that much anyway, right?

"Gaius I am perfectly capable of handling this, it's my fault we're in this situation anyhow," Arthur replied, putting off entering his room for as long as possible, knowing what awaited him and being forced to acknowledge the graveness of the matter.

"Yes, but sire, I have experience in this matter, I would be much more suited to dealing with this than you," Gaius pleaded.

"Gaius I will not hear of it, this is my responsibility, my fault, and I will right the wrong that has been done," Arthur nearly growled out before passing the old physician and pushing his doors open. And froze. As did the small boy jumping upon his bed.

Blue eyes met blue eyes and Arthur felt his chest clench before the usual anger bubbled to the surface at the idiotic grin that spread across the boy's face.

"Merlin! Get _off_ my bed!"


	2. Chapter 2  Ambrosius

**Chapter 2**

**Ambrosius**

"Merlin, please come out from there," Arthur pleaded crouched down beside his bed, peering under it into the darkness that obscured the small child.

"No!" Merlin's childish voice yelled back, thick with tears.

"Sire, maybe you should leave him be for now," Gaius suggested from the door way. His face was strained, torn between the parenting instinct and the need to keep from snapping at the crown prince of Camelot.

"Gaius, my father wants to meet him in two days, I have until then to get it through Merlin's thick head that he has to do as he's told," Arthur said sitting up straight to gaze over the blood red bed spread to the old man.

"Yes, but I fear your frightening him," Gaius said softly, treading gently around the temperamental prince.

"Merlin, please, I promise if you come out, I won't yell. I promise," Arthur said, calming his voice and looking back under the bed. The only response he got was a slight sniffling. "He's being difficult!" Arthur yelled to Gaius, as though he had to explain his own temper. Gaius worried that Arthur was still too much of a child to be looking after one himself.

"Arthur?" Gwen asked poking her head around Arthur's still ajar door, her ebony curls bouncing wildly around her face. "What's going on?"

"Gwen this really isn't the best time," Arthur said gesturing under his bed. Gwen bent over and peered beneath the mattress.

"Hello?" Gwen called into the darkness.

"Hello Gwen," Merlins sniffled back. Gwen's eye brows rose as her head shot round to Arthur.

"Arthur, what are you doing with a child beneath your bed?" Gwen asked shocked as she stared wide eyed at Arthur.

"He's my ward," Arthur explained fisting his hair in a painful grasp.

"You've got a ward?" Gwen gasped before looking back under the bed. "Since when?"

"Long story," Arthur grumbled. "Fathers just Okayed it."

"I'm not your ward! You're a prat and I don't like you! You're a big meanie!" Merlin cried. "I want mum!" a pang of guilt went through Arthur's chest.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said in a much softer voice then he'd been previously using. He pinched the bridge of his nose and screwed his eyes shut. "I can write to her and get her to come, but please, _please_, come out from there," the room was silent for so long Arthur thought Merlin was now ignoring him again, and then a small black mop of hair slowly poked out from beneath the bed.

"She'll come?" Merlin asked in a small voice, not lifting his gaze at all. Arthur nodded with a kind smile. "Okay then," Merlin said as he straightened up, trying to look grown up as he bit his lower lip to stop it from quivering. "Then you're forgiven." Arthur grinned as Merlin stuck out his tiny hand to shake on it. Arthur grasped his hand and shook it gently.

"Guinevere, this is- Ambrosius," Arthur said looking to Gwen as he gestured to the boy before him. Arthur's eyes shifted to Merlin's with a look of warning that the boy frowned at before inclining his head ever so slightly in a nod. "And Ambrosius, this is the Lady Morgana's maidservant Guinevere."

"It's nice to meet you Guinevere," Merlin whispered with glistening eyes as he turned to the maidservant crouched on the floor by Arthur with a small shy smile.

"Oh," Gwen's eyebrows shot up. "It's nice to meet you also." Gwen looked to Arthur with confusion in her brown eyes. "You know," Gwen began, looking between Arthur and Merlin. "He looks a lot like-"

"Merlin?" Arthur interrupted, his voice slightly hard. "Yes I know, Ambrosius' from Ealdor, they're like cousins twice removed or something," Arthur explained in one breath as he looked back to Merlin, unable to look Gwen in the eye and lie. Merlin had several distinguishable features, none being hidden by the change in age. It was too much of a coincidence to claim Merlin and Ambrosius had no relation so the story that they were cousins had quickly been devised.

"Oh," Gwen gasped, her eyebrows once again shooting up before looking to Merlin and smiling. "Well, I really should be getting back to my lady," Gwen said standing. "It was nice to meet you Ambrosius. Sire, Morgana wanted me to ask you to send Merlin around to her as soon as you see him," Gwen said as she bowed. Arthur watched Gwen leave before turning to Gaius.

"What does Morgana want with Merlin?" Arthur asked the old man across the room as he stood.

"You know I am right here," Merlin grumbled. "I may be younger but I'm still me, I still have all my memories and stuff." Arthur looked to the small boy with a frown, one moment he was a complete stranger, the next he was the same old disobedient manservant who always had to voice his opinions and thoughts.

"Then you'd know that if you hadn't have jumped in the way of that bloody curse we wouldn't be in this situation," Arthur stated. Merlin glared up at him.

"Yeah, you'd be the child instead of me. But I guess turning a child into a child doesn't really work," Merlin mumbled. "You know I was only trying to protect you," Merlin added much quieter, his eyes cast downwards.

"I know," Arthur commended after a moment's pause. "But you're just a servant, I can protect myself better than you can, you shouldn't have intervened." Merlin just scowled down at the floor.

"Okay," Gaius said determinedly breaking the silence. "First things first. We need to get Merlin ready to meet your father. And then we'll deal with finding a way to reverse…this," Gaius said waving vaguely in Merlin's direction. "Okay?"


End file.
